Railway-switch lock



Apr. 17, 1923. IASZMW) P. COMERFORD RAILWAY SWITCH LOCK Filed'March 25, 1922 Pairp'c/s 6'0 mar/arm? vehicle on either track.

Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

l Iv Shiloh si ns PATRICK COMERFORD, OF VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH LOCK.

Application filed. March 25, 1922. Serial No. 546,710.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Punter; Connnronn,

citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switch Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety lock for railway switch, which look is designed to positively secure the switch in the position to which it has been moved. This locking means is cooperative with that portion of the switch operating mechanism which effects its release prior to movement of the switch and the securing of thesame after such movement.

The locking means not only prevents movement of the switch from the position to which it has been moved but holds the switch tightly against the rail to which it has been moved.

The invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the switch and its op erating mechanism with the upper partof the switch-stand removed.

F 2 is a cross section of the track and elevation of the switch operating mechanism.

F 3 is an elevation of the switcl1stand to an enlarged scale.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sections of the same on the lines 4-4 and 5 5 in Fig. 3.

In these drawings 2 represents the rails of one line of track and 3 those of the branch, cross over, or siding connected therewith by the switch points 1. These switch points 4c are connected by a bar 5 to move together. The switch points are moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to the position indicated by dot and dash lines by the followin mechanism.

On one side of the track adjacent the switch point t is its stand 7 in which is mounted to move on its axis an upright shaft 6 which carries at its upper end the usual disc and lamp by which theposition of the switch is indicated to an approaching The shaft 6 is re inforced where it is support-ed in the stand 7 by a sleeve 10 secured on it, the lower end of which sleeve affords the bearing and support of the stem in the stand.

On the reinforcing sleeve 10, adjacent its bearing in the stand 7, a sleeve 11 is mounted to be endwise movable, but not rotatable, the lower end of which sleeve is squared as at 12 to fita squared socket in the upper end of the stand adjacent the bearing of the shaft reinforcement therein. This sleeve 11 is lifted to withdraw its squared lower end from the socket and is rotated through the angle necessary to move the switch points between the open and the closed positions by a handled lever 18 forked to pass on each side of the reinforcement 10 and fulcrumed at 14 thereto.

This lever 13 is, adjacent the fulcrum 14;. connected by a link 15 on each side to the endwise movable sleeve 11. so that upward movement of the lever will withdraw the squared end 12 from its socket in the stand and permit the shaft to be rotated through the are necessary to move the switch from one position to the other.

On the lower end of the shaft 6 is secured a lever 9, preferably adjustable in its length, the outer end of which lever is connected to the switch by a rod 8. The switch point 4 may thus be moved from the position indicated by the full lines to that indicated by the dot and dash lines by rotational move ment of the shaft 6 and is secured in such position by the squared end 153 in its socket.

This constitutes the switch operating mechanism to which the lock, which is the partic ular subject of this application. is applied.

li lounted in suitable bearings 24:. to extend below one or both of the switch points 42 nearer to the stand 7. is arocking shaft 23, having a short locking lever 25 secured on it, that by partial rotation of the shaft 23, will be turned upward when either switch point 4- against either track rail 2 and will hold its end securely thereto, that the switch point cannot be moved until the lock lever is withdrawn.

On the end of the rocking shaft 23 is secured a short lever 22 which is connected by links 21 to a strap 20 encircling the sleeve 11 in a groove provided for it, that the sleeve may be rotatable in the strap but will carry the strap with it in its endwise movement to disengage or engage its squared end from or with the socket in the stand 7.

Thus the upward movement of the handle lever 13 not only withdraws the upward end 12 of the sleeve 11 from the retaining socket in the stand 7, but by connection of the strap 20, links 21 and lever 22 moves the rocking shaft 23 to withdraw the locking lever 25 from engagement with the switch point 4,

'leaving the switch free to be moved by rotational movement of the shaft (3 in the manner described.

Obviously the rocking shaft 528 may, if considered desirable, be extended beneath the other switch point and provided with another lever 25 to engage and lock it.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

Means for locking a railway switch bar at either limit of its movement, said means comprising a switch-stand, an upright shaft, a reinforcing sleeve for said shaft having hearing in said stand, a forked lever pivoted to said reinforcing sleeve, a sliding sleeve mounted on said reinforcing sleeve, links connecting said lever with said sliding sleeve,

a crank, a connecting rod between said crank and the switch bar whereby rotation of said reinforcing sleeve and rod will cause the movements of the switch points, a rocking shaft extending across beneath the rails of the switch, short levers secured on said rocking shaft that may be projected upward by rotation of said rocking shaft to secure the switch bars at either limit of their movement, a crank on said rocking shaft, a strap swivclly secured to said sliding sleeve and a link connecting said strap to said crank on said rocking shaft, whereby raising and lowering said first mentioned lever will rock said rocking shaft, and whereby turning said upright shaft will not effect the connec tion between said sliding sleeve and said rocking shaft, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PATRICK COMERFORD 

